A Christmas Lesson
by Purplewater3
Summary: I know its not christmas time but felt this was a sweet story to get out of my head and put on to fanfiction. This is in the episode "Cookies for Santa" I believe in season 2.


It was the Christmas Eve of two thousand two and Reba Hart couldn't believe she found herself all alone. Her eldest daughter Cheyene and her husband Van along with her grandchild Elizabeth had gone off to her son-in-laws uncles cabin to start their own Christmas tradition, her middle child, her daughter Kyra was at a Christmas party with her friends and her baby boy Jake was over at his fathers house.

"How did it come to this?" Reba thought to herself as she walked through the doors of the local soup kitchen. "How am I sittin' here in a soup kitchen and not at home in elf pajamas with my kids?" Reba was wrapped up in all the questions in her head she felt her large bag filled with her Christmas dinner knock into another body. Reba looked up to see a young woman with dark curly hair that rested on her shoulders, she was dressed in layers of ratted sweats but despite all the layers Reba could still see a little baby bump peeking out from under all the cloth. When Reba looked into the girl's face she looked into the saddest brown eyes she has ever seen. Not to mention that spark of hope and panic that Reba would see in Cheyene's eyes when she was beginning to show. Come to think of it this girl had to have been around Cheyenes age.

Realizing she was staring Reba blushed and said "I'm sorry do you know who I speak to for donating food?" as she opened her bag and set it on the ground.

The girl smiled, reached down into the bag and pulled out a tin can of cookies, Reba couldn't help but smile at the sight "I'll take it." The girl chirped. "Oh are you the one in charge." Reba said. The girl scoffed a bit as she tore off the lid and smiled down at the cookies "No I'm starving." Reba laughed as the girl bit into a santa shaped cookie. "Well usually I'm home with my kids in elf pajamas, I was going to wear them here but I didn't want to start a ruckus." Reba giggled as she placed her coat on the coat hanger near by. The girl just smiled but began to make a face as she chewed. The girl held out the tin can out to Reba "here" she said almost monotone. "No no there are plenty left you can have more" Reba said pushing the can back a bit as she felt her motherly instincts begin to kick in. Perhaps it was her kids being away but all Reba wanted to do was to give the girl warm food especially give her food for her baby, she wanted to pull her into a hug and tell her everything was going to be alright, she wanted to hear her story and if not sing her a Christmas carol or two. Reba felt a little embarrassed she was feeling all of these motherly needs for a stranger she has known for all but one minute but something deep inside her told her that she needed to hear this girl's story and be the kindness this mother-to-be probably has not received in sometime. "No I don't think so." The girl replied. "No really I made plenty." Reba persisted. "Oh you made them?" the girl responded with a bit of surprise in her voice. "I sure did!" Reba replied proudly "Oh well I don't like 'em" The girl said flatly as she handed the cookies and sauntered away.

About an hour later everyone had settled in with their plates of food, most of the food was made by Reba. Reba was making her rounds with the gravy when her eyes landed on the dark haired girl sitting at the end of one of the tables, she seemed to be concentrating on her plate of food but not really eating it. Reba's heart melted just a little when she noticed the girl was rubbing her growing belly in small circles. "You want some gravy for your mashed potatoes?" Reba said as she found herself suddenly standing next to the girl. "Did you make it?" the girl asked faltley. "Yes I did." Reba responded. "Then no." The girl said as she returned to staring down at her food. "Hey what is your problem?" Reba blurted, the girl looked up surprised. "I'm here helping people out, trying to feel better about my self and you ruining it!" The girl stared at Reba blankly as the nun beside her looked at her in shock. Reba looked at the nun embarrassed "uh hey there sister' she said to the nun as she nervously poured gravy onto the girl's potatoes. Once the Nun walked out of earshot Reba looked back down to the girl and spat out "Seriously whats your problem?" The girl who was tensed up slightly began to relax "I'm sorry ma'am, I'm usully not this rude." She said softly "its just this is my first Christmas with out my family."

"Well hey" Reba said as she pulled out a chair next to the girl and sat down "I have the same problem. But if you don't mind me asking why arnt you with your family this Christmas?" Making a small gesture with her hand to her belly the girl said "Getting knocked up at eighteen isn't exactly a dream come true to my parents so the minute I found out I was pregnant I knew I will be spending Christmas alone. What about you? You don't look knocked up." Reba smiled "Well thank you for the compliment. But my oldest is off to some lake, my other daughter is at a party and baby boy…" Reba paused as she began to tear up "my baby boy is off with his father." To both their surprise a few tears began to roll down the redhead's cheeks. "Wait its ok don't cry" the girl said nervously "here I'm eating your food." The girl took a bite of her mashed potatoes "mmmm" she said dramatically as she tried her best to fight off a gag. Reba smiled as she wiped away her tears but more kept rolling down her cheeks. "and they are going to give him the bike." The girl patted Reba's arm awkwardly "It could have been worse, they could be getting him a pony." Reba laughed at the thought but began to feel embarrassed noticing she was spilling her problems to a homeless person.

"Boy I feel stupid. Here I am feeling sorry for my self while all these people have a lot worse problems to deal with." Reba said as her tears subsided. "Yeah that's why I come here to feel better for myself. Sometimes I sit with the disfigured guys so I don't feel as weird for this extra belly I put on." The girl said flatly but this time with a smile. Reba gave the girl a stern look and said "That's not what I meant." The girl smile faded a little and gave a stern look back "I know what you meant but just because your problems isn't like someone else doesn't mean you can't hurt about it." Reba sighed as she said "Once I think I lost it all from the divorce I lose something else." The girl nodded "yeah like not having to pee every ten seconds." Reba smiled and looked down at the girl's belly "How far along are you?" The girl took a moment as she counted with her fingers "I went to the clinic two weeks ago so….six months exactly next week. So dang this kid will be four months old by graduation…weird." The girl sighed and looked at Reba with a somewhat glazed look in her eye "You know I'm not the first to get knocked up at my school. There was a couple last year that got pregnant. They were jocks too, they even got married. The guy…we all expected him to leave and join the NFL but no he even married her. He was a bit of a pin head but the way he looked at his wife its like she could do no wrong I think he loves her. You know I don't think he even hits her." Reba realized she wasn't breathing for moment when she realized this girl was talking about her daughter and son-in-law. "Wish my baby daddy would be like that guy" the girl continued "loving, caring, dependable but no he's just an angry drunk. I'm not sorry I left him even if that means I don't have a home for a while." Reba felt a new found respect for the girl and hope the girl could hear it when she felt herself say softly "You were smart to leave him. You are so strong. You will be an amazing mother." The girl looked at Reba in shock as tears welled up in her eyes "Wow thanks." She said softly. The two fell silent for a moment just looking at each other.

Suddenly the girl began to stand and Reba did as well. "Where ya goin'?'" Reba asked feeling a little sad their tender moment had to end. "I got to go to work, a few more graveyard shifts at the drug store and I can finally afford that deposit for an apartment Iv been wanting. " Well be safe" Reba said as she walked to the main serving table. "Hey could you do me a favor for me." The girl said as she slowly walked up to Reba "Sure." Reba replied. The girl took a moment to look Reba in the eye "Don't go home feeling sorry for yourself. If you do it will feel like you are stealing Christmas from me and everyone else who cant be with their family on Christmas no matter what the reason. Go home and decorate the tree. Ok?" With a sudden surge of love Reba pulled the girl into a hug, feeling the baby jump between them "ok" Reba replied softly as she let the girl go. The girl smiled and grabbed the tin can of cookies from the serving table. "Thought you didn't like those." Reba teased. The girl just laughed and said "When three in the morning rolls around you would be surprised what this baby is willing to make me digest. Well Reba and I better get going." Reba perked at the sound of her name "What?" she exclaimed in surprise. "Oh" the girl laughed "That's the name of the baby. Reba is what I'm naming her. Sounded like a name of a survivor. Merry Christmas!" With that the girl exited the door. Reba Hart never got to see the girl ever again but not one day goes by that she doesn't think of meeting the mother-to-be on the Christmas Eve of two thousand two.


End file.
